Make sure the oven is in condition, it can better wait for the cake than the other way around. Sponge cakes require a slow oven; layer cakes a hot oven, and loaf cakes with butter a moderate oven. Never look after your cake until it has been in the oven ten minutes. If cake is put in too cool an oven it will rise too much and be of very coarse texture. If too hot, it browns and crusts over the top before it has sufficiently risen.